THE COMPETITION TO BRING MEDICAL MARIJUANA TO MASSACHUSETTS IS UNDER WAY, AND TODAY 181 APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED, EVE ONE HOPING TO OPERATE A DISPENSARY IN THE BAY STATE. BUT ONLY 35 OF THEM WILL BE CHOSEN. JOHN OWNS THE HEMPEST. HE'S APPLIED FOR THREE DISPENSARY LICENSES. WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE REALLY BELIEVE IN CANNABIS BEING A VERY EFFECTIVE MEDICINE, THAT IS HARD FOR A LOT OF PATIENTS TO ACCESS. TODAY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH RELEASED THE LIST OF 181 APPLICANTS THE MAJORITY LOOKING TO SET UP SHOP IN MIDDLESEX COUNTY. FORMER STATE SENATORS THAT ARE APPLYING, THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL ENTREPRENEURS THAT ARE APPLYING, THERE ARE LARGE OUT OF STATE MARIJUANA OUTFITS FROM COLORADO THAT ARE APPLYING. IT'S A LARGE DIVERSE POOL. DURING THIS FIRST PHASE, APPLICANTS ARE GIVEN BACKGROUND AND FINANCIAL CHECKS. NEXT MONTH SOME WILL BE INVITED BACK FOR PHASE TWO. THEY'LL HAVE TO SHOW OPERATING PLANS, SITE PLANS, SECURITY PLANS. A REAL PROPOSAL FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, TO CONVINCE THE D.P.H. THAT THEY CAN RUN ONE OF THESE THINGS AND DO IT PROPERLY. IT'S NOT CHEAP, AT $30,000 JUST TO APPLY, THEN A $50,000 ANNUAL FEE TO THE STATE. SOME BIG GUNS FROM COLORADO ARE ALREADY SETS UP AND ARE VYING FOR SLOTS IN MASSACHUSETTS. NAPOLI ISN'T WORRIED. I DON'T THINK IT'S IN MASSACHUSETTS BEST INTEREST TO HAVE PEOPLE FROM CALIFORNIA AND COLORADO TO COME OUT HERE AND TO DO IT THEIR WAY. I BELIEVE THAT WE WANT LOCAL OPERATORS, NOT ONLY TO KEEP THE BUSINESS AND THE CASH FLOW HERE TO BENEFIT OUR ECONOMY, BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO IT THE MASSACHUSETTS WAY. SOME TOWNS HAVE ALREADY PLACED TEMPORARY MORATORIUMS ON DISPEANSARIES, BUT INSIDERS SAY THAT WILL CHANGE. IT BRINGS 30 TO 50 JOBS IN THE FIRST FEW YEARS, AND IT'S PROVIDING MEDICINE TO QUALIFIED PATIENTS, BUT IT'S ALSO A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR A TOWN. THE LAW MANDATES THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AWARD THOSE 35 LICENSES BY THE END OF THE YEAR. EACH COUNTY IS ALLOWED FIVE DISPENSARIES. THE STARTUP COSTS FOR EACH ONE